Bare bones in Manchester

It’s no day for car painting. Once again we have a three phase weather event in Montreal — snow, followed by freezing rain, followed by rain. It’s becoming a pattern this winter. I sketched from my window and painted with Burnt Sienna and Phthalo Blue (except for a bit of red in the car) on some 300 lb rough paper. This limited colour combo makes beautiful warm greys and browns, but it’s not one I use often because Phthalo Blue scares me. It’s very staining and can sometimes overwhelm other colours, but it works really well with Burnt Sienna.

Limited palettes are something I’ll be exploring this summer at the 7th Annual Urban Sketchers Symposium in Manchester from July 27-30. My workshop is called Bare Bones: Exploring Limited Palettes in Watercolour. I’m really thrilled to be an instructor again at the international symposium (this will be my third time teaching) because it’s always the highlight of my year. The programming was announced today and it’s so impressive. There are 26 workshops to choose from, as well as demos, lectures and activities. If you’ve never attended one of these events, I can’t emphasize enough how stimulating an event it is for urban sketchers. The details of my workshop haven’t been posted yet but I can tell you that it will be about exploring different and unusual colour combinations in your sketches.

Congratulations on being an instructor at another symposium.
Now, this is such an “interesting” sketch… have you been taking lessons from the put-one-big-thing-in-the-middle-of-the-sheet school of composition? 🙂

Thanks Ross. I’m very excited about the Symposium.
I guess your “interesting” is meant as interesting BAD, as opposed to interesting GOOD.
I have never heard of those lessons though. Is there an online course for “put one big thing in the middle of the sheet”? Perhaps I should suggest that to Craftsy.

I just love how you paint trees! What a wonderful color combination. I always appreciate the fact that you share your colors. It helps me try different combos rather than my standards.
You are very generous! I only wish I was going to Manchester! However, our oldest son is getting married which requires airfares plus so much more….but we are so thrilled!
Maybe the symposium next summer will be in a desirable spot….

I wish you were coming to Manchester too Linda, but what wonderful news. Weddings are so expensive… but yes, maybe next year. The symposium hasn’t been in North America in a long time so I have fingers crossed for next year too.

And yet again, Shari, you’re not teaching a workshop in the one slot I have open for a workshop in my Manchester schedule 😦 Still, like you say, a Symposium is just so exciting, I am looking forward to the buzz, and the ideas and to meeting everyone again!

I took your both craftsy courses and hope to get a place in one of your workshop places. I’ve got an earlybird workshop pass and will be able to do my planning from March 1st. So, hope to see you in Manchester!

[…] Which got me thinking about the fact that I rarely draw trees. When I think of trees, a few people come to mind. Cathy Johnson, who obviously loves her trees, Virginia Hein with her trees all bathed in that warm Los Angeles light, and Shari Blaukopf who often draws this tree outside her window. […]